A Tribute to Susana Paz

To All Sisters of Strength,

It is my pleasure to have been asked by our new S.O.S. leader, Joan Taylor, to begin writing on our S.O.S. blog once again. There were so many topics I could have written about, but I honestly could not think of a better way to begin than to write a tribute to our group Founder, Susana Paz. 

Our blog was created by Paola Henke in March 2009. Shortly before that, Susana embarked on a new journey with several other ladies by founding the Sisters of Strength connect group. What better month to resurrect our blog with a triubte to Susana in the month where we will soon be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord? 

I must mention what a coincidence it is that as I begin to write here, I realize that our very first blog post was March 6, 2009. Here we are four years later, to the very day, March 6, 2013 as I type these words in this blog.

To be honest, I was not one of Susana's closest friends, yet, we did form a bond. It was one of those unspoken bonds. No words needed to be said, it was just there and it was just felt. I know Susana felt it too.
 Susana was the Bible in living color.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13
Looking back at our humble S.O.S. beginnings, I remember how so many of us ladies were going through such trying times: broken marriages, wayward children, job losses, divorce, depression...Susana too was going through hard times. She had lost her marriage and then her job. Like most of us moms, she had concerns for each of her three children. She felt depressed many times.  How much can one person take? The answer is we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. What a mighty example Susana was of the strength of Jesus working in one of His followers. 

"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18
Susana had a gift for speaking and a beautiful, radio announer voice that I found so soothing.  I loved to hear her speak.  Many times Susana spoke vision for the ladies in her group and quite often, led them towards that vision.  She was always spot on, propelling women to a destiny outside of themselves and inside of God's plan.  Several ladies went on to be connect group leaders while others grew in their service to the church.  Susana had the gift of knowledge.

"Perfect love casts out fear." I John 4:18
How difficult it was for all of us when we learned that our "fearless leader", as she was lovingly called, had ovarian cancer, stage four.  How very difficult this must have been for Susana, but she never showed fear, only faith.  She knew the perfect love of our perfect Heavenly Father.  Susana truly was our fearless leader. 

"For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord..."  Jeremiah 29:11
In true Susana form, in spite of this deadly diagnosis, in spite of chemo, in spite of hair loss, nasuea, pain, needles, medcines, doctor visits, hospital stays, and all that goes along with this journey, Susana remained a true sister of strength.  Her faith  not only grew, but flew in the face of cancer.  I believe it is possible that we were more afraid than she was.  I marveled at how she told the doctors, "It's not over until God says it's over".  Susana trusted and submitted herself to God's plan, even if it meant her much too early demise.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1
I believed, as I know other SOS ladies believed, for Susana's healing.  We believed and knew God could do it, but would He?  Did He want to?  We prayed and pleaded with God, asking for Susana's health to be strengthed, her life to be lengthened.  Things didn't turn out as we would have planned, but we persevere.  We still believe.  We still trust.  We continue to pray for each other.  We do not cast our pearls to the enemy of our souls.  Susana is now one of those in that great cloud of witnesses cheering us on.  She ran a good race.

"Everyone runs, but not everyone wins.  Run your race and win!"
~AnneKiemel

Susana is a winner!